Cost To Build A New Home

Phase 1 - Finances and Foundations - Before You Begin!

The building process can take longer than anticipated if not planned appropriately. All stages of construction must be appropriately planned and coordinated with the understanding that unexpected events will occur that are difficult to foresee. Developing a contingency plan for “what if” situations can also be helpful in emergency situations. It is best to think of these contingency plans during the initial planning stage when you are thinking about finances, and during the foundations and framing construction phase.

Stage 1 – Pre Construction - Finances and PermitsSee our page on Building Codes and Permits here The amount of time spend on this phase varies greatly depending on the country, city and district you are living in. This is because during this phase you must: a) Develop a full set of plans that take into consideration zoning and building bylaws b) Seek out financing with an estimate of the total cost for the home or building, and c) Obtain the proper approvals and permits The time it takes for all of these items depends on your place of residence and your accessibility to information and services. You should also determine how you will have temporary power access at your site, which can add to the timeline. Also, you should figure out the approxiamte cost to build a new home during this phase.

Stage 2 of Construction: Building Layout Before beginning any construction we advise that you survey the land to look over property lines so that you are properly observing the by-laws in your area. Once this has been done, you can begin to set out the layout of your building and decide on how you will build your house. Usually, layout can be completed in one day given that property boundaries are already in place.

Site planning (making a strategic plan to take advantage of weather conditions, managing drainage, etc.) takes more time and effort. In cases where you are not experienced in observing the land, you can hire a land surveyor to speed up the process and to ensure you are not missing any important variables in creating the plan on how to build your structure on the property. An accurate layout of the excavation for the placement and depth of the foundation must be done at this stage of the building process which is a very critical step.

Stage 3 of Construction: Excavation and FootingsTo being this phase, ensure you have the proper equipment, personnel and that you have full access to the site you will build on. If all of these items are in place, this typically takes only 1 day. Once completed, you will need an additional few days to trench for and rough-in services, form and pour footings, remove footing framework, layout the foundation walls and columns, and prepare construction of the foundations.

Stage 4 of Construction: Backfill, Drainage and Foundations Account for a few days during this stage of your home building plan for the installation of foundations. This is typically done by a skilled sub-trade. Also at this point, you will want to include curing concrete and removing formwork. It was also take a few more days to complete the dampproofing, foundation drainage systems and backfill.

By storing excavation material and topsoil properly, you can eliminate the need to bring in fill and topsoil for backfilling. Note that if your site in located in an area that is underserviced, extra work may need to go into measures for foundation drainage.

Stage 5 of Construction: FramingEnsure that there is adequate temporary power supply for all tools and equipment to make this stage of building goes easy as possible. Arrangements will also need to be made with carpentry sub-trades to help with constructing different elements at this stage. Generally, the building of stairs or the installation of pre-manufactured stairs, and the installation of a chimney is also included in this stage.

Given that there is a proper power supply the entire stage should only take approximately 2 weeks. You should also be able to complete the framing, and can install roofing (which is essential for protection from weather conditions during the rest of your building stages).

Now that the foundation for building your own house is established, you can move ahead to the next phase of construction. We found that breaking down the construction into these phases really helped us get organized and it also allowed us to create a schedule to follow. Next, you will learn about how to install windows, doors, plumbing, heating, electrical, and you will also learn about how to complete the final exterior finishes.